While the world focused on the iconic and ancient trading city, IS was also capturing a series of large gas fields to the northwest of Palmyra. Maher, Jihar, Shaer, and other gas fields were overrun by IS as part of the same offensive in eastern Homs. These seizures are significantly more important and will have a greater impact than the fall of Palmyra.

Electricity rationing tightened across Syria; Hama is officially at three hours per day in 45 minute spurts,25.https://twitter.com/Jacm212/status/814500104052805632 Tartous is at six hours per day with some areas only getting three,26.https://twitter.com/Jacm212/status/816684225453785088 while some areas near Damascus are only getting two hours of power per day.27.State-organised attacks in Palmyra threaten Damascus electricity : Enab Baladi Unofficially, many report that rationing has worsened since electricity theft and other issues have caused problems with supply.

It is unlikely that the facility can be rebuilt before the end of the war, leaving Syrians wondering how their fuel and gas needs will be met. Government officials have begun talking about securing new import contracts,40.Al – Watan but without a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, and with the sole pipeline suitable for gas importation out of operation, Syria will struggle to import gas cheaply. Since LNG importation requires either pipelines or LNG terminals, Syria is instead forced to import compressed natural gas or propane at higher costs and with greater difficulty. Syria is already running record deficits. With their reserves depleted, and without additional Russian or Iranian financing or cutting elsewhere, Syria will not be able to afford an increase in imports.41.Syria’s currency crisis means big trouble for Bashar al-Assad’s war efforts : Quartz Perhaps even more worrying is the prospect of further IS advances in Homs. Syria’s only remaining major gas field, Rabah (including its vital remaining energy infrastructure such as the Ebla processing plant), is now dangerously close to the front lines.42.Ebla GTP : Wikimapia

This is part one of a three part series on the war for oil and gas on Syria’s home front – read part two here